The infiltration of water into buildings and other structures particularly at the top of windows, doors etc as well at the base of so-called stucco-covered, curtain type, foamed siding applied to the exterior of buildings is a constant problem in both new and retrofit construction.
The term curtain wall refers to a type of building construction in which an exterior non-load-bearing wall is supported in front of the structural frame like a curtain. Such wall structures, in some instances can be exposed to rain driven by winds; as high as 90 miles per hour in certain areas, and consequently are vulnerable to infiltration of wind driven rain as well as insufficient drainage of accumulated water from the area between the exterior curtain wall and the interior supporting shell of the wall construction.
Particularly vulnerable to infiltration of rainwater in this fashion are the areas over doors and windows and the lower extremity of the curtain wall where it meets the sill or foundation of the building.
The problem of infiltrated water can become critical where the wall area includes large window and or door openings and is often aggravated where water entering the wall cavity accumulates sufficiently to cause leakage into the interior of the building with resulting water damage. In some cases, water entering the wall cavity between the interior load bearing wall and the exterior curtain wall at window and door openings does not drain to the exterior of the building, but soaks through the wall portions causing structural damage and discoloration of the visible exterior portions of the wall.
Consequently, numerous designs have been proposed for moisture management systems and drip edges that either inhibit such infiltration and/or provide a means for conducting infiltrating water away from the opening in a safe and non-destructive manner.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,568,391 to Conway issued Mar. 9, 1971 describes a casing bead for stucco-covered curtain wall construction employing a joint including an elongate L-shaped casing bead and an elongate generally wing-shaped drainage cap member. The two joint components form a horizontally-disposed, structurally yielding joint between outer covering curtain wall sections that provides ventilation and water drainage between adjacent curtain wall panel sections.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,003,743 to Bifano et al, issued Apr. 2, 1991 describes another Proposed track device for the installation of curtain wall type siding on structures that includes a flange arrangement designed to inhibit the infiltration of water, but no means to conduct infiltrated water away from the mounting device.
Vinyl Corporation of Miami, Fla. currently supplies a moisture management system for installation over doors and windows as depicted in attached FIG. 1. This moisture management system comprises a generally U-shaped channel having a base including weep holes, front and rear upstanding walls, and a drip plate below the weep holes. The drip plate comprises a separate member welded parallel to the bottom of the base and having a cutout or recess below the weep holes in the base for removal of water passing through the weep holes. As will be described in detail below in connection with the description of the moisture management system of the current invention, this structure is inherently inferior to the unitary moisture management system of the present invention, and lacks certain features which render its installation inferior and less secure and while also providing for less drainage capability.